Bormio, Italy—Swiss skier Franjo von Allmen made headlines by winning the Olympic downhill race, claiming the first gold medal at the Milan Cortina Games. On a stunning day, he rushed down the Stelvio course in just 1 minute, 51.61 seconds. Italian racer Giovanni Franzoni followed closely behind, earning the silver. Dominik Paris, another Italian, secured bronze, pushing Swiss star Marco Odermatt off the podium.
At 24, von Allmen is continuing a proud Swiss tradition in downhill skiing. Beat Feuz, a former champion, won the same title in Beijing in 2022 before retirement. While von Allmen often works in the shadow of Odermatt, they are friends who share strategies on the slopes. However, this time, von Allmen found the winning edge on a particularly challenging hill.
Von Allmen has had a remarkable season, already clinching a downhill win at the World Championships in Austria last winter. Meanwhile, Franzoni, 24 and hailing from Manerba del Garda, is on a hot streak himself, having won a super-G race in Wengen just weeks prior.
Paris, who knows the Bormio course well with seven World Cup wins under his belt, finally secured his first Olympic medal in his fifth Winter Games appearance. Alongside being an athlete, he also sings in a heavy metal band called “Rise of Voltage.”
Kyle Negomir, the 27th racer of the day, impressed onlookers by finishing in 10th place—making him the top American in this race.
The atmosphere was electric, filled with cheers for both the Italian competitors and von Allmen. As the Olympics continue, fans are eager to see if von Allmen can maintain his momentum and whether Franzoni will keep up his impressive performance.
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